PRESS RELEASE

Lower Thames Crossing needs to be put out of its misery

Transport Action Network (TAN) is pleased that Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has not approved the £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) today [1]. However, TAN believes that the project needs to be scrapped as soon as possible so that better and more cost effective solutions can be found. Plenty of valid reasons for scrapping it can be found in the independent expert report into the Lower Thames Crossing by leading consultant, Dr Colin Black [2].

Chris Todd, TAN’s Director, said:

“The Lower Thames Crossing just needs to be put out of its misery. Even if the scheme had been approved today, it’s unlikely it would have been open for traffic before 2032 and then was predicted to only give 5 years relief at Dartford.

“Green lighting the scheme today would look odd with the Government announcing it will spend £21.7bn to reduce carbon emissions [3], if it then spent £10bn making them worse. It is just one of the many reasons why this dinosaur scheme should be scrapped without further delay.”

The LTC is also opposed by the new Labour MP for Thurrock, Jen Craft MP, and the new Labour MP for Gravesham, Dr Lauren Sullivan MP, whose constituencies the LTC runs through. The new Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, James McMurdoch MP, is also opposed, as well as Thurrock and Gravesham councils.

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Notes to editors:

[1] The decision whether to grant the Development Consent Order (DCO) had previously been deferred in May 2024, due to the general election announcement and was due to be made today.

[2] TAN has recently commissioned an independent expert report into the Lower Thames Crossing by leading consultant, Dr Colin Black, which outlines the many failings of the LTC.

[3] The Government today announced it was committing to a £21.7bn investment in carbon capture and storage. The press release notes it: marks a game-changing development in the mission to tackle climate change – protecting the environment from harmful emissions at a time when the UK has seen a year of record-breaking temperatures

[4] TAN was set up five years’ ago by director, Chris Todd to help communities press for better (and more sustainable) transport. We support more investment in bus and rail services and active travel. To enable this and better roads maintenance (fewer potholes) we continue to oppose the previous government’s damaging roads programme. We also support better integration between transport and planning.